Healthy Kids

Healthy students make better learners. In this section you will learn about initiatives that are helping kids come to school ready to learn, as well as get updates on research on how physical and mental health relates to academic achievement and success beyond the school doors.

Girl playing in gym with classmates
Girl running in gym
Girl drinking milk at table

Stories from the Field

Sacramento Parent Home-Visit Model Builds Trust, Achievement

In the low-income neighborhood of South Sacramento in the late 1990’s, parents and guardians were told by the school district that they were “partners” in their children’s education, yet they felt they were treated like problems rather than solutions. Communication, and trust, were at an all-time low. Helped by a...
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Dispelling the Myth by Working Together

The Education Trust honored three outstanding public schools at their Dispelling the Myth Awards ceremony. These schools were chosen because, “[they] are doing the right thing for kids: providing a rich, coherent curriculum and making it interesting and engaging for their students. In the process, they are making themselves the...
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LFA Updates

Advocating for School Safety

In the wake of the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School, education leadership organizations like NASSP are supporting a holistic approach to violence intervention and prevention.

By Greg Waples, Senior Manager of State Engagement and Outreach at NASSP Just over three weeks ago, we watched in horror as one of the worst school shootings in American history unfolded at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida—17 students and educators were killed and another 14 were...
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The Aftermath...

LFA Executive Director Rich Long reflects on the journey ahead as we work to prevent gun violence in schools and communities

How does a person, family, community, and a nation respond to the violence that struck a high school in Florida? Just over two weeks after the tragedy occurred, it looks like we all go through a sense of shock that numbs us all to the core. Almost all in our...
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Member Resources

Secondary School Principals’ "Breakfast After the Bell" Toolkit

In partnership with NASSP, the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) has developed the Secondary School Principals’ "Breakfast After the Bell" Toolkit to help middle and high school principals collaborate with their school nutrition departments to implement strong breakfast programs that reach more students and increase school breakfast participation. Included...
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The Clean, Green and Safe Schools Initiative

The National School Boards Association (NSBA) believes every school-age child deserves the finest K-12 public education possible. Striving to provide the highest quality education, one that enables every student to achieve their full potential, is grounded in many factors including the learning environment. Indeed, a school’s physical structure is a...
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